It took awhile to be determined and perhaps wasn't the most conventional way to get into the playoffs for some baseball teams, but the top eight have clinched and it's time to start the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League playoffs.
Heading into the final day of the season, the Lloydminster Midget Twins had to win to get in and did that, sort of.
The Midgets and St. Walburg Reds game was rescheduled for Tuesday - the absolute, already extended deadline for the regular season. Following a rainout the Midgets were awarded the win and grabbed the eighth spot as St. Walburg eventually forfeited the game.
The Midget Twins will face the defending league champion Lloydminster Twins in the first round of playoffs. The two Lloydminster teams played earlier in July and it was the Twins beating the Midgets 8-1. Games one and two of the series are set for Monday and Tuesday in Lloydminster.
As the Midgets grabbed the eighth spot in the standings, the North Battleford Beavers were waiting to see where they would fall into the NSRBL standings. After the tie breaking formula, the Beavers fell into seventh and will play the Wilkie Brewers. The Brewers won the head-to-head match up in Wilkie by a 7-1 margin earlier in July.
Game one of the series was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed early in the day do to rain and poor diamond conditions. The series opening game was rescheduled for Thursday in Wilkie at 6:30 p.m. Game two will be played Tuesday in North Battleford. Game three, if necessary, will be played Wednesday back in Wilkie.
In third place was the Meadow Lake White Sox and they will play the Unity Cardinals. Meadow Lake earned the 5-1 win in the lone meeting between the two teams this season.
Game one of the series is set for Monday in Meadow Lake, with game two in Unity Wednesday and game three, if necessary, in Meadow Lake Thursday.
The fourth versus five match up will feature two Lloydminster teams with the Border City Blue Jays facing the Lloydminster Junior Redhawks. No games had been set up at press time, but the Jays won he head-to-head match up with 3-2 score at the end of June.
